Signaling device for vehicles



N. I. KLOHN.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I, 1919.

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N. J. KLOHN.

SlGNALING vDEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.1.1919.

1.3?796911 U Patented May M1921.

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@Fmlo NllGHOLA 3. KLOHN, 02E' ST. PAUL, MXNNESQTA.

BIGNALING' DlllCE FOR VEHXCLEQ.

'Specification of Letters Eatent.

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.application filed August 1, 1919. Serial No. 814,593.

To all whom 't may concern Be it known that l, NICHOLAS tl. KLOHN, acitizen of the United States, residin in St. Paul, in the county ofRamsey and tate of Minnesota, have invented new and useful improvementsin Signaling Devices for Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in signaling devices for vehicles.It is my object to produce a signal which shall be convenient andeiicient.

A further object is to provide a catch for the signal adapted to holdthe same temporarily out of signaling position.

A further object is to provide a strong lookin` mechanism to protect thedevice from being injured by meddlers when not in use.

Heretofore signaling devices provided for automobiles have usually beenlacking in convenience or eiiiciency or susceptible to injury in use orby meddlers when not in use.

lin the drawings which form part of this s ecification Figure l is aside view of my signal, with part of the housing, which incloses theoperating parts, removed, and a portion of the device. broken away, thesignal arm with its connecting parts being "illustrated in full linesout of signaling position and, in dotted lines, the position it wouldassume when released into signaling position.

liig. l1 is a side view of the signal-with part of the housing removedand a portion or the device broken away, the signal arm being shown inthe position it would assume just as it is being released into signalingposition.

Fig. lll is a side elevation of the 'signal with part of the housingremoved and a portion of the device broken away. lt illustrates thecatch engaging the signal to hold it temporarily until the plunger ofthe operating solenoid is brought into normal position to rigidly lockthe signal out or signaling position.

F ig. =`V is an endview of the signal, a portion of which is brokenaway.

Fig. 'V is a perspective view of a lportion ot the/operating mechanismand the plunger which acts as the core ot the solenoid.

The drawings illustrate a signaling device A, composed of a signal armB, the outer,

free end of which carries a signal head C, provided with lenses orwindows 2 of any suitable color to show the light from an incandescentbulb 3 contained in the signal head C. The inner end of the signal arm Bis pivotally held in the housing 4 by the rock-shaft 5.

lhe housing 4 consists of similar pieces united by screws, and formed toinclose a solenoid and the hereinafter described actuating mechanismconnecting the same with the arm B. Une end ot' the'housing 4 iscylindrical in shape and adapted to contain a solenoid 6, the plunger ormovable core 'l' of which is connected to the operating arms 8. The arms8 are spaced apart in parallel relation and rigidly connected bysuitable rivets 9 and 10. The inner ends 11 of the arms 8 project intothe slot 12 formed in the plunger 7 and are pivotally connected by. thepin 13 to the plunger. rlFhe outer ends of the arms 8 have slots 16therein through which the pin 15 passes so as to be slidably held in theouter ends of the arms 8. The pawl 14 is held between the arms 8 by thepin 15 which pivotally astens the pawl to the housing 4, but said arms,when actuated by the solenoid, slide icreely on either side of saidpawl. `Near its pivoted end, the pawl 14 is formed with a projectingtongue 17 which is adapted to be engaged by the rivet'9 to release thepawl from operating position.

rlfhe coilspring 18 has its bearings' be' tween upwardly projecting lugs19 formed on the arms 8, and an internal flange 4" formed in the housing4, and tends to hold g the plunger 7 partially withdrawn from the coilof the electromagnet 6. `A guide rod 20 f extends through the spring 18and is ed at its ends in peri'orations formed between the members of thehousing 4 in the above inentioned flange 4' and a second flange 4".'

rlhe inner end ef the signal arm B is bifurcated and its legs 21straddle the disk-like portion of the housing 4, and the inner surfaceof said legs are formed with transverse slots 22 to engage projectingfeathers 23 formeel on the end faces o' the shaft 5, so as to rigidlyhey the signal arm 'B to the shaft 5,.and suitable cap screws 24 arethreaded in the usual way in the axial bore 25 oiE the shaft 5. ln thismanner the signal arm B is held against side motion in the housing 4while it is freely pivoted so that it may tilt.

i A lug 26 is formed integral with and ptro- -ects from the centralportion of the sha 5.

his lug is ada ted to be engaged by the notch or recess 2 formed in thearms 8 when the solenoid 6 is operated to pull the. s1 nal from thedotted position, illustrated in 1g. I, out of si naling position. Theylug'26 is also engaged b the pawl 14, momentarily as illustrated inIfig. III, to hold the signal arm B out of signaling position and to.form a temporary catch or lock to hold the signal l arm against fallingagain into signaling position until the plunger 7`is withdrawn from thesolenoid by the action of spi-in 18, so that it will engage against theen ofthe lug 26 and rigidly lock the signal arm B in the verticalposition. The engaging lug 26 is of stout construction so as to form astrong engagement between the signal arm B and the plunger 7, therebpreventing anyone who may take hold of t e signal arm when it is out ofsignaling position from jerking it into signaling position. This .is anessential feature of the invention as in use it has been found thatthere is a temptation to take hold of the signaling arm when in elevatedposition on the motor vehicle, and unless the cc'instruction is strongthe signal may be easi-l `ibroken or put out of order by jerkingontesignal arm B. The construction illustrated provides a simple,inexpensive and practical means for locking the signal arm out ofsignaling position by bringing the pawl 14 into direct engagement withthe plunger 7.

The housing 4 is attached in any suitable manner to the motor vehicle on4which it is to be used and the solenoid 6 is connected in the usual wayto a source of electrical energy, not illustrated in the drawings. Abutton 28, positioned on the top of the housing 4, is provided to holdthe signal arm B beyond its vertical position andl cause it to drop bygravity into signaling position. The button 28 is pressed outward by thcspring 29, and the signal arm B, when out of signaling position, is heldin contact with the button 28 and compresses the spring 29 so that thearm B is under spring tension when the signal is erect. Thus the instantthe plunger 7 is released from the influence of the solenoid 6 the lug26 is freed from the plunger 7 and the shaft 5, carrying the lug 26,together with the arm B and signal C are free to drop into signalingposition.

The operation during a complete cycle is as follows: The signal arm Bbeing erect as in Fig. 1, a short electrical impulse is given,

the coil 6, which attracting the core 7, draws it rapidly inward,disengaging the lug 26 from abutment against said core. At the instantdisengagement occurs, the spring 29 starts the arm B on its downwardmovement, which rotates the lug 26 to abut against the rounded end ofthe pawl 14 and prevents it from falling into en agement as in thereturn stroke, Fi f. 3. he fact that the pawl 14 does not fa 1 intoengagement is due to the relatively rapid motion of the core inward ascompared with the motion of the pawl, which is actuated by gravity only.Further, the contacting ends of the pawl 14 and the lug 26 are sorounded that a slight 'rotation of the arm toward its signaling positionprevents the pawl 14 from falling into engagement as shown in Fig. 3.The immediate cessation of the current in the coil 6, now releases thelunger, and the arm B is free to fall'into signaling position.

When it is desired to raise the signal out of signaling position, thesolenoid is energized and pulls the plunger inward, thus causing thearms 8 to engage the lug 26 in the notch 27 to pull the signal upwardout of signaling position with a quick, decisive movement, throwing thesignal arm B against the resilient button 28 with suiicient force todisengage the lug 26 from the notch 27 and allowing the pawl 14 to dropinto engagement with the lug 26. At this instant the awl 14 forms atemporary catch for holding the si nal out of signaling position, asillustrated in Fig. III. The moment the magnetic attraction of thesolenoid 6 for the plunger 7 ceases (in the act of drawing the signalout of signaling position) the spring 18 will automatically withdraw theplunger from the solenoid, causing the pin 9 to engage `the tongue 17,thereby releasing the pawl 14 from the lug 26 while the armaturesimultaneously comes into contact with the lug 26 to lock the signal outof signaling position and rigidly hold the arm B against movement untilit is again desired to use the signal.

In operation my signal requires only a small amount of current `and doesnot use any current while the signal arnikis stationary in eithervertical or horizontal position, except for the signal light 3, which isused at night. Thus, it is economical in operation and practical foruse, being composed of simple and comparatively inexpensive parts.

The device is so constructed that when it is desired to use the signallight 3 the arm B when moving into signaling position, makes 'contact inthe ordinary manner with the terthat it may be used on other vehicles orstructures without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

l. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of said housing, a signal arm on saidshaft a solenoid coil in the opposite end of said housing, areciprocatin plunger within and adapted to be energized by said coil, a1u integral with said rockshaft and adapte to engage the outer end ofsaid pluri er when the same is projected from the coi, a pair ofparallel arms pivotally attached to*r said outer end of the plunger, ahook formed on said arms, adapted to engage said lug to raise the signalarm and a pawl slidably and tiltably mounted in said arms and adapted tomomentarily engage said lug during the upward movement of the signalarm.

2. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of said housing, a signal arm on saidshaft, a solenoid coil in the opposite end o f said housing, areciprocating plunger within and adapted to be energize by said coil, alu integral with said roel;-`

shaft and adapte to engage the outer end of said plunger when the sameis projected from the coil, a pair of parallel arms attached to saidouter end of the plunger with a limited pivotal movement with referenceto the plunger, ahook dependent from said arms, adapted to engage saidlug to raise the signal arm, an internal Harige on the housing, a lug onthe top of said arms, a coiled spring compressible between said flangeand lug and a pawl slidably and tiltably mounted in said arms andadapted to momentarily engage said lug during the upward movement of thesignal arm.

3. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of said housing, a signal arm rigidlyattached to said shaft, a solenoid coil in the opposite end of saidhousing, a reciprocating plunger slidable within said coil formed with aslot in its outer end, a lug on said rock-shaft, adapted to impingeagainst said plunger when the same is projected from the coil, a pair ofparallel arms pivoted in said slot in the plunger, a hook formed on saidarms, adapted to engage said lug and a pawl slidably and tiltablymounted between said arms and adapted to momentarily engage said lugduring the upward movement of the signal arm.

4. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to anautomobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of said housing, a signal arm on saidshaft, a solenoid coil in the opposite end ,of said housing, areciprocating plunger within and adapted to be ener ized by said coil, alug on said rock-shaft a apted to be held by the plunger when the sameis projected from the coil and the signal arm is erect, a pair ofparallel arms pivoted in the outer end of the plunger and a hook formedon said arms, adapted to engage sai-d lug to draw the signal arm intoupright position.

5. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, asemaphore tilty ably journaled on one end of said housing, a

solenoid coil in the opposite end of said housing, a reciprocatingplunger within and adapted to be energized by said coil, means on thesignal arm adapted to engage the outer end of said plunger when the sameis projected from vthe coil and the semaphore is erect, an extensionarticulated in 'the outer end of the plunger, a hook formed on saidextension and adapted to engage and'raise the signal arm and resilientmeans adapted to push the semaphore over dead center to permit it tofall by gravity when the plunger is withdrawn.

6. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of saidhousing,asemaphore arm on saidshaft, a solenoid coil in the opposite end of said housing, areciprocating plunger within and adapted to be energized y said coil, alug formed on said rock-shaft and adapted to engage the outer end ofsaid plunger when the same is projected from the coil, an extensionattached to said plunger, a hook formed on said extension to engage saidlug, a pawl slidably and tiltably mounted in said extension and adaptedto momentarily engage said lug during the upward movement of the arm andmeans for holding said pawl out of engagement with said lug during thedownward movement of the arm.

' 7. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of said housing, a signal arm rigidlyattached-to said shaft,a solenoid coil in the opposite end of saidhousing, a reciprocating plunger slidable within said coil and formedwith a slot in its outer end,

a lug on said rock-shaft, adapted to impinge inst said plunger when thesame is projected from the coil, a pair of parallel arms pivoted in saidslot in the plunger, a hook formed on said arms, adapted to engage saidlug, a pawl slidably and tiltably mounted between said arms and adaptedto momentarily engage said lug during the upward movement of the signalarm and means for holding said awl out of engagement with said lugduring the downward movement of the signal arm.

8. In a signal a housing adapted to be attached to an automobile, arock-shaft journaled in one end of said housing a signal arm on saidshaft, a 'solenoid coil in the opposite end of said housing, areciprocatin plunger within and adapted to be energized by said coil, a1u integral with said rockshaft and adapte to engage the outer end ofsaid plunger when the same is projected from the coll, a pair ofparallel arms attached to said outer end of the plunger with a limitedpivotal movement wlth reference to the plunger, a hook dependent fromsaid arms, adapted to engage said lug to raise the signal arm, aninternal flange on the housing, a lug on the top of said arms and'a 10coiled spring compressible between said .ange and lug.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name to thisspecication.

NICHOLAS J. KLOHN. Witnesses:

E. T. PETERSON, J. E. STRYKER.

